The Apprentice
by WING Higley
Summary: Just how far is Ryoko willing to go to win Tenchi's love?


All characters trademark and copyright 1999 AIC and Pioneer.  
  
  
  
W*ING Higley Presents:  
  
The Apprenctice  
  
  
  
"You're what?" Tenchi asked in shock and dismay.   
"Leaving," was Ayeka's simple reply. She tried desperately not to convey any  
emotion, but the sorrow in her voice made her inner pain all too clear.  
"Why?" Tenchi asked, still trying to digest the news.  
"For the last 700 years, my sister and I have neglected our duties as members of  
the royal family of Jurai. First it was searching for Yosho, then staying here on Earth with  
you Tenchi. Our father, Azuza, has decided that time is now at an end. As of today,  
Sasami and I are the new Jurian ambassadors to the Republic Senate."  
"Republic Senate? Ayeka, I thought Jurai ruled the entire galaxy."  
"That would be nice, wouldn't it Tenchi." Ayeka smiled ironically. "I am afraid  
that on occasion our family, Sasami and I included, have had a nasty habit of exaggerating  
the extent of our family's influence."  
"In reality, the House of Jurai controls most of the outer sections of the galaxy,  
Sol System included. But we do not rule over all of the Milky Way. There are many,  
many independent empires and self-governed planets. We just happen to be the most  
powerful empire in the Milky Way, but we do not have final say over everything that  
happens in this galaxy."  
"But why must you and Sasami become the new ambassadors? Can't they send  
someone else."  
"I'm afraid not. It seems that a dispute over the succession to Supreme Chancellor  
of the Republic Senate has erupted. The former Chancellor was forced to step down six  
weeks ago, and there are several parties now vying for control. In matters such as these,  
only members of the Royal Family are fit to weigh in on who should be the next Supreme  
Chancellor."   
Tenchi looked at her with deep sorrow. "Ayeka....I...." he couldn't put what he  
wanted to say into words. He still wasn't sure exactly how he felt about Ayeka, whether  
he loved her or whether he loved Ryoko, but he had come to depend on Ayeka to be the  
great calming, able to give a sense of order from the chaos that had  
become Tenchi's life.  
"Will.....will you ever come back?" was what he finally managed to spurt out.  
"I..don't think so, Tenchi." Ayeka's face gained a bittersweet smile. "Father has  
made it clear this will be a somewhat permanent post for Sasami and I. Ever since my  
parents first visited this planet, I knew that this was inevitable. I simply didn't want to  
admit it. I'm sorry Tenchi."  
"When do you have to go?"  
"Tonight. A shuttlecraft will pick us up at 9:00 p.m. sharp." She smiled again.   
"At least Ryoko won't be there to gloat."  
Tenchi nodded. He, of all people, had been surprised when Ryoko had asked to  
accompany Nobuyuki on his annual fishing trip by the seaside. They weren't due to return  
for another three days.   
  
************************************************************************  
  
That night, many a tear was shed as the Masaki 'family' said goodbye to Ayeka  
and Sasami. Mihoshi had been worst of all, bawling her eyes out until she finally excused  
herself, lamely saying she was due for patrol.   
Yosho wore his usual mask of indifference. He looked solemnly at Ayeka. "You  
do me proud Ayeka. I could never do what you do now."  
"Thank you..." Ayeka looked at Tenchi. "Take care of him, brother. He is the last  
male of the royal bloodline, and it is important that the House of Jurai continue."  
Yosho nodded solemnly. "I understand. And...I'm sorry. If I had not shunned my  
responsibility so many years ago, you may not now be put in this position."  
Ayeka smiled and shook her head. "Don't be sorry, Yosho. If you hadn't traveled  
to Earth, Tenchi would have never been born, and I would have never been given the  
opportunity to meet him....." she turned to Tenchi, "and fall in love with him."   
Tenchi simply stood there, stunned at this revelation. He knew Ayeka cared about  
him, but he always had thought that her declarations of love had been bluster spurred on  
by her fights with Ryoko.   
"Ayeka....I...I don't know what to say....I...."  
"Shh," Ayeka said, putting a finger to his lips to silence him. "Don't say anything,  
my Tenchi. We were never meant to be, there were too many forces working to keep us  
apart. Goodbye, my love."   
With that, she kissed him quickly, then teleported away. Sasami simply hugged  
Tenchi around the waist, then beamed herself too. The shuttlecraft hovered briefly, then  
shot skywards, taking Ayeka and Sasami out of Tenchi's life, seemingly forever.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Tenchi! Look what I've got!" Ryoko shouted cheerfully as she and Nobuyuki got  
out of the Masaki family van. "I've got some nice blowfish here!" Her exuberance was  
short lived as she saw Tenchi sitting under Funaho, a vacant and pained look etched on  
his face.  
"Tenchi...?"  
"Don't bother him now, Ryoko," Washu said.  
"Mom, what's wrong with him?" Ryoko was stunned. She had never seen Tenchi  
look this depressed before. Hell, she had never seen Tenchi look depressed, period.  
Washu quickly explained the situation to her 'daughter.'   
"I think it would be best if you stayed out of sight for a few more days, my dear.   
The last thing he needs right now if you hanging all over him."  
"I...I...yeah, I guess you're right." She was silent for a moment, doing mental  
calculations in her head. "That's alright, I needed to take Ryo-ohki out of the Sol System  
for a few days anyways."  
Washu looked surprised. "Oh, any reason why?"  
"I have to deliver something to an old friend of mine. In fact, one of the reasons I  
went with Nobuyuki was to get something he requested."  
"He?" Washu asked coyly.  
"Don't get any ideas mom," Ryoko said, rather annoyed. "He's just a friend I  
made after I left Earth to put myself back together after the bonding with Zero. He really  
helped me sort out my feelings and get my head back on straight."  
Washu was silent for a moment. After the battle with Dr. Clay, Ryoko had taken  
Ryo-ohki to 'find herself,' as she put it. The bonding with Zero had turned her into a  
giddy school girl, and Ryoko became so desperate that it necessitated a trip into space to  
finally return to her old self. Ryoko had never before spoken about what had happened  
during her two month disappearance. Washu would have used the mind-link, but one of  
the aftereffects of the Zero bonding had resulted in the mind-link being disabled.  
"Well Ryoko, you be careful, and when you get back, don't be too overbearing on  
Tenchi."  
  
************************************************************************  
Four days later:  
  
"Tenchi, are you okay?" Ryoko asked worriedly. Since her return the day before,  
Tenchi had avoided her.  
Tenchi looked at her for a long moment, as if mentally sizing her up and making  
some decision. "Yes, I think I am, Ryoko."  
"Do you need someone to talk to? I know you're upset about Ayeka leaving."   
Tenchi was surprised by this statement. He had figured that Ryoko would be all over him,  
while at the same time disparaging Ayeka. Instead, she had left and given him room to  
think. Think about his future, and who he really cared about.  
"I'd like that Ryoko, but I'm not thinking about Ayeka. At least, not anymore."   
Ryoko looked confused.  
"Ya know, it's funny Ryoko. When I first met you, I really didn't think much of  
your personality."  
Ryoko became embarrassed. "Yeah, I guess chasing you around and blowing up  
your school would do that."  
"Please listen to what I have to say. That was then, before Ayeka left and I   
realized how much it hurts to let someone go that you care about."  
Ryoko grew wide eyed. Tenchi gently lifted her chin and looked straight  
into her eyes, straight into her heart.  
"I love you Ryoko, you're one of the strongest women I've ever met. I really  
admire that about you. You never gave up on me either, even when I was 'betrothed' by  
Grandpa to Mihoshi and the others. You were always there for me, even as a little kid   
when I would play by your cave.."  
Ryoko was stunned, she had no idea he knew about how she had watched over  
him.  
Tenchi smiled. "I've always known about that Ryoko. I could always feel your  
presence beside me when I was at the cave. Always protecting me, always loving me."  
"Tenchi.....I....I"  
"Ryoko....I love you."  
"Tenchi!" Ryoko cried, tears flowing freely from her eyes. Tenchi took her by the  
shoulders and pulled her to him. Then, all their world consisted of was the kiss.  
  
************************************************************************  
Two weeks later:  
  
"......I now pronounce you man and wife."   
The wedding was held under Funaho, with Yosho serving as minister, Nobuyuki as  
best man, and Mishoshi doing double duty as bridesmaid and ring bearer. To most in  
Japan, getting married less than two weeks after you had declared your love for each other  
might have seemed insane, but to Tenchi, it made all the sense in the world when the  
person you loved was a special someone like Ryoko.   
The wedding reception was a small, private affair. Only a dozen or so guests had  
been invited. Sadly, the joy of the day would not last.  
"Tenchi..." Ayeka looked as if she had been crying for days.  
"Miss Ayeka, what are you doing here? What's wrong?" Tenchi was shocked,  
Ryoko even more so. They had been in the middle of cutting the wedding cake when  
Ayeka had burst in.  
"Tenchi....my father......Emperor Azuza......is dead!"  
"What!??!!" For the first time in his life, Yosho lost his composure.   
Ayeka looked at him sorrowfully. "Father has been assassinated. We don't know  
how, but he collapsed at the dinner table and......and...." Ayeka burst into tears again.   
Tenchi rushed to comfort her.  
"Is there anything I.....we.....can do for you?" Tenchi asked.  
"It is not I you should be worried about, Lord Tenchi." Ayeka looked rueful. "Do  
not forget so quickly that with father dead, you are the new Emperor of Jurai."  
Tenchi suddenly became lightheaded, as the weight of the world came crashing  
down on his shoulders. "I....I'm the new emperor?"  
"Whether you want it or not. You have no choice now, you are the last male  
descendant of the House of Jurai." Ayeka then looked at Ryoko, a look of revulsion  
crossing her face.  
"And as for you, Ryoko....."  
"You mean......"  
"Yes, Ryoko. That means that you are...."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
  
"The new Empress of Jurai" Ryoko shouted triumphantly. It was some 12 hours  
later, and Ryoko sat in the communications room of Ryo-ohki, staring at the  
holo-viewer's image of a man clad a black cloak, his face hidden.  
"Excellent work, my young apprentice. All has gone as I have foreseen it."  
"Thank you, Lord Sidious." Ryoko said to the Dark Lord of the Sith whose  
holo-image was in front of her.  
"You have done well, child. Are you sure the new Emperor of Jurai will do as you  
say?" Darth Sidious asked.  
"Tenchi's so shaken up right now, he'll do anything I ask. Once we arrive on Jurai  
tomorrow and are officially installed as the new Emperor and Empress, we shall travel to  
Coruscant and officially give our support to you in your bid to become Supreme  
Chancellor, Senator Palpatine."  
Darth Sidious smiled. "Excellent. With the support of the House of Jurai, that  
fool Senator Organa will have no choice but to concede defeat. Finally, after 3 long  
months, I shall take my rightful place as Supreme Chancellor. You have done quite well,  
Ryoko. That blowfish poison was quite useful in dispatching Emperor Azuza. To think,  
for all their sophisticated technology, the Jurians have never been able to detect something  
as simple as Earth blowfish poison."  
Ryoko smiled wickedly. "I did what you asked. And you lived up to your part of  
the bargain, arranging for Ayeka to be called in as the new ambassador. Now Tenchi is  
mine, and mine alone."  
"And you will live up to your end, won't you?" asked Sidious.  
Ryoko nodded. "Of course. I said I'd do anything to win Tenchi, and if that  
means becoming you apprentice, than so be it. You won't need anyone else after me,  
though. I'll make Maul look like an amateur."  
"Do not get cocky, Ryoko" Sidious replied, eyeing a holo-image of young Anakin  
Skywalker. "Remember, you too can be replaced..."  
  
  
Author's Note: Two years later and this remains my best work, I think.  
Which is sad considering it was my first fanfic. Oh well. If anything this piece  
established my love for shock endings, which we'll explore further when I re-print  
and revise my most famous work, "U-Jin's Ranma Diaries."  
  
Darth Sidious, Darth Maul, Anakin Skywalker and Star Wars trademark and copyright  
1999 Lucasfilm, LTD. 


End file.
